POLICE INVESTIGATING Aburglary today had a squirrel to thank for helping them recover the stolen goods after the animal “led” officers to the loot hidden in a tree.

Officers were first called to the garage in Twerton, Bath, at about 1.20am today, where they arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of burglary.

A spokeswoman for Avon and Somerset Police said that when the officers returned to the scene later that morning to carry out a search they were met by a grey squirrel sitting in front of the burgled garage.

The squirrel then appeared to indicate that it wanted the officers to follow it by running off a little way then stopping and checking they were still there,’ she said.

‘The squirrel scampered down the path and kept stopping and looking at the officers to check they were behind’ she said.

‘They followed it for about 100 yards before the squirrel climbed up a tree – and around the tree were these boxes of loot. We apprehended a burglar and recovered stolen goods with the help of a squirrel.’

The officers found four boxes of stolen crockery and a box of LPs stacked at the bottom, which had been taken from the garage.

The property was recovered and the arrested man was released on bail pending further inquiries.

The police spokeswoman said officers gave the squirrel a handful of nuts as a reward.